So the latest ludicrous rumour is Skrtel going to City for 20 million. I love the mirror, dig out an interview where he says he's unhappy with 8th (Weren't all the players?) yet drop the bit of the interview where he says he's happy at LFC But this got me thinking. We sold Torres to a team in the places above us. Ok he forced the issue & the price was brilliant. But if we as a club have ambitions to leap frog these teams one day, should we be making a habit of selling our better players to those above us no matter what the price? Or is there a point where the amount offered outweighs the value of the player & the image we're actually rivals?
Of course there is a point the offer outweighs the players value. If someone was to offer us £100m for Skrtel, we'd be crazy to turn it down no matter who it was. If someone offered £1.57, we'd tell them to ****off! Somewhere inbetween, there is a turning point. Every player has a value IMO, Skrtel isn't that good a player and needs someone like Agger alongside him to make him look good (he struggled and look very poor alongside Carragher and Soto) and £20m for him would be good business. However, not to a team in the same division.
I love how we simply shift players who don't want to be here (exception to Gerrard and Chelsea). It shows that no one man is bigger than the club, and it's quite refreshing especially when you see clubs that persist with these disruptive influences (such Tevez) having their arses kissed. However, both Ronaldo and Rooney were close to leaving but Fergie managed to persuade them to stay (he got another year out of Ronaldo which was a stormer and probably increased his value). Arsenal did the same with Fabregas and Spurs did with Modric. Having said this, I do feel that we need to stricter with our players and not let them manufacture a move. At the end of the day, we're not going to get better if we continously sell our best players (we should have forced Torres to stay!).
Disagree about Torres. Whilst he wasn't at his blistering best under Roy (I don't think many people were) but he looked a lot sharper under Kenny and I'm sure we would have seen the best in the proceeding weeks. But then the element of value popped up - £50m for any striker is a hell of a lot of money and should have been used to build a top squad but we wasted it and now we're worse off.
I wouldn't say we are worse off, we didn't have a squsd at the time and we do now, the quality of the players and the squad is a point to argue but I don't think we are worse off.
But then do we not level the argument at Arsenal that the likely reason they've won nothing for 7 years is because they keep selling their best players as they peak (regardless of price) I suppose it depends on how much control the club has over the sale. With Torres we had very little & with all due respect to Andy, it proved we had no clear plan for a replacement. The same could be said for Alonso. If you are prepared & believe that with the money you could buy an equal available replacement or strengthen the team elsewhere because you have a replacement already at the club then no harm done. But if all you end up with is a weakened team & some cash does this not show you're a weak club overall?
I think the overall squad depth is at its strongest it's been over the past few years (including Rafa's reign). However, the quality of the first team has decreased significanty. However, do I believe that we would have finished higher had Torres been in the team instead of Carroll? Yes I do. Either way, selling a top class player for mega bucks is only a good deal if you use that money wisely and we didn't. Instead, we bought a load of young English players who will take time to settle. I hjave no doubt that they will come good but it will take time. Our future is secure, but I'm still concerned with the present.
one could say that we sold torres to chelsea and it put them in 6th. it'd be a gross misrepresentation of the facts but it could be said that torres lack of goals cost two managers thier jobs. I don't see how skertl would improve city... honestly i don't. they have two big thick bruisers and skertl is not that, he's not agger either... so if he wants to chuff off... let him! coates and agger could be an amazing combination. if they bid 25mil or something similar i would dearly hope our club would not do an everton on it and disrupt our preseason over something like this...... if a player wants to go let him go and get great money.
The players that Rodgers signs need to fit in straight away, as you say we have a good squad but some of the signings from last season need to step up. (Carroll looks like he may do). It's a strange time waiting for signings and friendlies to start happening, I'm glad we have an early Europen tie a competative game early on will be useful.
I'd bite Citeh's hands off if they offered £20m for Skrtel. He's good but Agger is better and we have a ready made replacement in Coates (Skrtel moving could also see Kelly getting games at CB and Wilson getting playing time). £20m is a lot of money! Add this to the rumoured £30m+ budget (Kuyt Fee + whoever else leaves) and Rodgers could have anything up to £55m-£60m to spend - thats a hell of a lot of money right there!
I'd like to see Kelly get game at CB and agree that Coates looks promising but with Agger being a little injury prone would we be happy with Kelly and Coates starting?
I don't want Carragher in the team at all. Which means our most experienced defenders are Skrtel and Agger. Presuming Skrtel leaves, then Agger is our most senior defender. And he is guaranteed to be injured at some point. Which then leaves Kelly and Coates - I believe they will mature in time but we definately need some experience alongside them. I am looking forward to seeing the Coates and Kelly partnership, both like to play the ball, pretty nippy and give us some much needed height.
Lol: the agents talking. Mmmm wonder where the City story started eh? Fecking hate Agents; just bloody negotiate a new contract behind closed doors.
I agree, they will be a good partneship in the future. I didn't even mention Carra as I don't think he will play much, good to have him as cover though. So if Skrtel is to go then we would need to buy a center back and that just doesn't make sense to me so if he goes it has to be for big money so that we can replace him.
Tell City to **** off, then make an offer of £1m for Sergio Aguero. Then after they say the same to us we'll all know where we stand.
Has Skrtel said he wants to leave? If not, I won't start slagging him off on the say- so of the press rumour mill.
so really his agent wants to talk contract and big wages is the real story.... who the hell cares then. I'm easy if he goes cos he's not one in a million but is good. his distribution isn't good and he's not dominant in the air.... but he complements agger well and is a hard hard worker.
